Office of International
Law and Policy

Asst. Dean Lydia Lazar

Fall 2005 - International Events

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Why Study Law in the Heart of the Empire?

Posted October 17,2005:
To some people, 'law' is a set of rules designed
by the powerful to entrench their power, while for others
it is a set of rules designed by an enlightened elite to
create a level playing field where people can compete to
the best of their ability to make money. Still others see
the law as an evolving set of rules that reflect communal
efforts to live together harmoniously. Finally, many view
the law as morality codified, arguing that we criminalize
behavior we determine to be ethically injurious to the society
as a whole. Whatever your view of the law, and of course
many believe it is some combination of the above explanations,
if you decide to study the law of country other than your
own you will enrich and expand your understanding of your
own legal system and gain invaluable cross cultural experience
that will help you no matter what you decide to do when
you finally leave the student life and enter the working
world.